reading

One Day – David Nicholls

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What a brilliant idea for a book! One Day dips in and out of the lives of two people on the same day every year over the period of twenty years. At first, I was unsure whether the concept would work, but it does – at least for the first half of the book. I have to admit, I had been avoiding this book until I read this review at Lit Addicted Brit. This is the third book that I have read for the Pay it Sideways Challenge.

It’s June 15th 1988, the day after Emma and Dexter’s graduation. As they lie in bed, smelling of cigarettes and alcohol, they talk of the future. It stretches before them, filled with hopes, dreams and endless possibilities. Little do they know that their lives will not go as planned and the age of forty, which seems so far away and unimaginable now, will come along much quicker than they would like. Continue reading →

The Hunger Games – Suzanne Collins

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The Hunger Games… If you’ve never heard of it, then where on earth have you been hiding? The book was first published in 2008 but has only recently come to my attention, which probably has something to do with the recently released film – oh, and the fact that EVERYONE has been talking about nothing else for the last few months! In the end, I was finally persuaded to buy the first book in the trilogy when I saw it for a couple of pounds in my local charity shop. It was perfect timing, as I had just finished struggling through two particularly long and challenging books and was on the look out for an addictive, but quick and easy read.

So, did it live up to all the hype? Well, yes and no. It’s true that, like everyone else, I rushed through the book, hardly stopping for food. However, by the end, I did not find myself desperate to read the next book in the trilogy. Continue reading →

Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops – Jen Campbell

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I don’t usually win things, so I was extra-specially excited to win this fabulous book from the brilliant Me and My Big Mouth. I have been following Jen’s progress on Twitter and her blog for a while now and have been desperate to get a hold of Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops.

The title pretty much says it all. If you have ever worked in a bookshop – or any shop for that matter – you will understand that customers say a lot of strange things and this is a collection of some of the most bizarre and most entertaining! Whoever you are and wherever you work, this book will leave you in stitches! Continue reading →

Island Bookstore – Amsterdam

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The Jordaan is a very pleasant area of Amsterdam. It’s the place to go if you want to take a bit of a time-out from the bustle of the centre and escape the tourist crowds. Before arriving in Amsterdam, I had heard of a wonderful bookshop in the area called Island Bookstore. On my first day, armed with a map and camera, I embarked on a quest to find it!

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Lont Antiquariaat – Amsterdam

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When my boyfriend and I decided to plan a last minute trip to Amsterdam in April, I had no idea that it would turn into such a bookshop extravaganza. I had been to Amsterdam before but I don’t remember seeing even one bookshop. I must have been walking around with my eyes closed. There seems to be one on almost every street corner! Sure, there are plenty of things to see in Amsterdam; coffee shops, canals, clubs and cafés, but it’s the fantastic bookshops that got me excited.

The first one I came across was closed. It had a quaint and inviting window display with some obscure looking children’s books and old postcards pegged across a washing line. Peering inside, I could see the shop was absolutely crammed with books! Seeing that this was a place not to be missed, I noted down the opening times and vowed to return.

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A Storm of Swords 1: Steel and Snow – George R. R. Martin

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Words cannot explain how much I am enjoying the A Song of Ice and Fire series and especially the first instalment of the third book. (NOTE: If you have not finished the first and second books in the series, A Game of Thrones and A Clash of Kings, you will find some spoilers in this post).

As I have mentioned in a previous review, compared to the fast paced opening book, I found A Clash of Kings to be a bit of a disappointment. The plot dragged and got bogged down with unnecessary details and a lot of battles. Well, there are no such problems with A Storm of Swords: Steel and Snow.

At the end of A Clash of Kings, we are left, as always, with a handful of cliffhangers. Things have gone from bad to worse for the Stark family. Catelyn is in a similar state of distress and grief as at the end of A Game of Thrones. Continue reading →

Top 5 Favourite Reading Spots

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Finding a good book is great, but reading a good book in your favourite reading spot is simply wonderful. We all have our favourite places to read. The weather can be an important factor, sometimes the time of day and quite often the spot you prefer can depend on what you are reading.

Some people have very odd habits with their favourite reading locations. My choices are quite unoriginal, but nothing makes me enjoy a book more than reading it in the places listed below.

In a Café with a Cup of Tea and Cake

Sometimes you just want to get away for an hour or two. Leave all your dirty washing and other household duties behind and have a bit of time for relaxation and indulgence. We all need somewhere to escape to! I have many favourite cafés in different cities across Europe that I have visited. My choice of food and drink doesn’t often change though – A cup of tea and cake!

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The Snow Child – Eowyn Ivey

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I was thrilled when The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey landed on my doorstep free from Waterstones! It was also followed by perfect, wintry weather but for some reason, winter slipped past and before I knew it spring was blooming all around me, and I had still not picked the book up! So at the beginning of April, when the weather surprised the whole of the UK with a couple of days of unexpected snow, I was secretly quite pleased. This book is definitely meant to be enjoyed on a snowy day whilst wrapped up in a comfortable blanket or duvet.

This magical story was inspired by the old Russian fairytale of Snegurochka, or The Snow Maiden. The fairytale is about a lonely, old couple who make a little daughter out of snow. Although, I had never heard of this particular fairytale, when I was younger I used to love Hans Christian Anderson’s The Snow Queen. There is something about a cold, icy setting that is just perfect for a magical tale, and when reading The Snow Child, I felt all of those fond memories coming back to me. Continue reading →

Gigi and The Cat – Colette

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I can’t believe I had never heard of Colette until a couple of months ago! Of course I recognised the film posters for the musical of Gigi, but had never seen it and wasn’t even aware that it was based on a book. I feel as though I have been living on another planet!

As soon as I read this review of The Cat at Literary Relish, I knew I had to give Colette a go. This is the second book that I have read for the Pay It Sideways Challenge.

This book is made up of two short stories and is the perfect introduction to this brand spanking new (for me, anyway) author. In a short amount of pages, Colette manages to show off her power over the written word. She sets the scene, creates an atmosphere and then whisks you through bizarre situations with some witty dialogue to keep things interesting. Continue reading →

Happy Blog Birthday to Me!

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So, it’s been a whole year since I first started Bundle of Books and I’m so glad that I’ve stuck around! It’s been a fun year and I’ve read some great books! I’ve also enjoyed some interesting bookish discussions with other book bloggers out there and learnt a lot from comments people make on the blog.

I first started Bundle of Books in April last year with a review of Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood. I was working in a very uncreative and frustrating environment at the time and was desperate for a creative output. Bundle of Books has been great for that. I was also pleasantly surprised with all the other book lover bloggers out there! Continue reading →